Ottawa:
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned on Friday he has asked the pope to come to Canada to apologize for the Catholic Church’s part operating residential schools for indigenous children, soon after the remains of almost 1,000 individuals had been identified in unmarked graves close to two of the former schools.
“I have spoken personally directly with His Holiness Pope Francis to press upon him how important it is not just that he makes an apology but that he makes an apology to indigenous Canadians on Canadian soil,” Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa.
“I know that the Catholic church leadership is looking and very actively engaged in what next steps can be taken.”
Cowessess First Nation mentioned on Thursday some 751 unmarked graves had been identified at the website of Marieval Residential School in Saskatchewan, just weeks soon after 215 unmarked graves had been found at a former college in British Columbia.
The residential college method, which operated amongst 1831 and 1996, removed about 150,000 indigenous children from their households and brought them to Christian residential schools, mainly Catholic, run on behalf of the federal government.
A federal commission’s report identified the residential college method enacted cultural genocide on Canada’s indigenous individuals.
“I have heard directly from many Catholics across this country who want to see the church play a positive role in this,” Trudeau added.
Earlier this month, Pope Francis stopped quick of a direct apology but mentioned he was pained by the discovery of the remains of 215 children and named for respect for the rights and cultures of native peoples.
()